Close Your Eyes And Make a Wish
by shana.rose
Summary: Her season was both everything and nothing like she imagined. A one-shot on Sybil first season and her thoughts on the men she's met.


**A/N: Not beta'd so please let me know if you see any grammar mistakes!**

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Sybil smiled tightly and gave a curtsy before walking towards the balcony grabbing a champagne flute from a footman along her way.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes letting the warm summer night breeze come over her. As she opened her eyes she could hear laughter and music playing from the room. She turned to look at the room taking a sip from her drink as she did.

Her season was both everything and nothing like she imagined. She was right about the beautiful dresses she would wear, the parties she would go to, the dancing, conversation she would have, and the people she would talk to but when she imagined it, it had seen so much more fun than it actually was.

The only thing that she had been truly enjoying was the dancing. The only times she ever had the chance to dance were the servant's balls held at Downton each year and with Mary, Edith, and Patrick when she was little.

Sybil watched as her sister Mary danced with another Lord's son whose name she couldn't remember. It was so hard to remember all their names, especially since they all looked rather the same. She felt awful for thinking it but it didn't stop it from being truth. The worst part was that they all acted the same too.

She had been so looking forward to meeting new people, to having conservations that actually _mattered,_ yet every time she tried to bring up any topic worthwhile the men would look at her with bemusement. If she was lucky they would patronize her for a minute on the conversation before changing the subject to something more in her "area of expertise".

It infuriated her, all of it but mostly it made her terribly sad. Sad that one day she would be expected to marry one of these men, these men who cared nothing of her mind only her looks.

It hurt, knowing that she was nothing more than a fine piece of jewelry. Something to admire, to look upon, but nothing more than that.

Sybil took a deep breath and looked up at the sky. Her eyes landing on a star, the first star she's seen all night.

"_A star! Look Mary a star!" Sybil shouted pointed her finger against the window._

_Mary smiled at her five year old sister and then walked over to the window and placed her hands on Sybil's shoulders and whispering into her ear. "Then you better close your eyes darling and make a wish."_

Sybil closed her eyes with all her might and wished. "I wish… I wish for a kind man, a man who will make me laugh every day and will hold me every night… For a man who will not scoff at my ideas or opinions but who will actually listen to what I have to say and… respect my opinions even if he doesn't agree... A man with dreams and ambitions, a man like…."

_He looked back at her grinning before letting out a hearty laugh. His hands on the wheel and his green hat slightly crocked before swiftly looking back at the road._

Sybil gasped and opened her eyes, forgetting her wish entirely. She didn't, she couldn't. She let out a shaky laugh and shook her head, 'There is no way I could-"

Her thought was quickly stopped by a hand touching her shoulder.

"Oh!" She slipped out as she spun around.

Evelyn Napier chuckled, "I'm sorry Lady Sybil. I didn't mean to surprise you."

Sybil blushed, "No it's alright. I was just lost in my thoughts."

Evelyn smiled. "Yes it's a rather fine night to get lost in your thoughts."

He stared up at the stars for a minute before asking, "Lady Sybil I was wondering if I could have the next dance?"

Sybil smiled, "Of course Mr. Napier but I'm not quite sure how your fiancée would feel about it."

He laughed. "Well, seeing as she dancing with Mr. Grey I don't think she'd mind too much."

She laughed and took his arm as he walked them across the room. As she placed her hand on his shoulder she looked up and for a second she let herself wish that the man standing before her had blue eyes rather than brown.


End file.
